Our free guide to the 2024 Paddy Power World Darts Championship is out now and includes expert insight, stats-based player profiles, the complete draw bracket, our best bets and more.
ABIGAIL DAVIES: It’ll be incredibly interesting to see how Mikuru Suzuki responds to what happened during the final block of Women’s Series events of 2023. For much of the year, she and Beau Greaves had been the stand out players but she really struggled with the pressure applied by a late surge from the formidable Fallon Sherrock when it came to the race for the Grand Slam. Ricardo Pietreczko somewhat capitulated in Wolverhampton, I expect him to be stronger against The Miracle and to win 3-1. As for Sherrock, she’s created even more history in 2023, showed ridiculous resilience and quality to finish second in the Women’s Series order of merit. If she doesn’t beat Martin Schindler in the second round, I think she’ll certainly push him all the way.
PAUL NICHOLSON: They will both trouble their first round opponents and I can see one of them making round two via a tight margin, but I think round three could be a little tough this time. However, last time Sherrock qualified alongside Suzuki, she made round three in 2020.
CHRIS HAMMER: Fallon Sherrock will fancy her chances with the crowd behind her against Jermaine Wattimena and Martin Schindler who both have stage fright issues and I actually think she can prevail in both matches. But Mikuru Suzuki will struggle against Ricardo Pietreczko.
CARL FLETCHER: Both out in the first round but only just considering they both have winnable opening matches against players who need to handle the occasion.
JAMES COOPER: Fallon Sherrock has drawn a tough opponent in Jermaine Wattimena but if she were to come through that, Martin Schindler wouldn’t be an insurmountable hurdle. I don't have much confidence in Mikuru Suzuki winning her opener though.
ABIGAIL DAVIES: Gary Anderson to come through his quarter of the draw at 3/1
PAUL NICHOLSON: I’m going for David Cameron, Radek Szaganski, Luke Little, Luke Woodhouse and Ricky Evans all to win their first-round games at 7/1
CHRIS HAMMER: Luke Humphries to hit most 180s at 7/2 is a great way to back him. Everyone who tops this chart reaches the final and of all this year’s leading 180 hitters, he’s the most likely to get that far.
CARL FLETCHER: MVG to hit a 170 checkout at 13/8. An annual best this, considering he’s done this in eight of the last eleven years and one of the years he failed he was eliminated early due to Covid.
JAMES COOPER: We all know how good Michael Smith, a brilliant winner of this in 2023, can be, but his form since on the whole leaves a fair bit to be desired. Bet365 go 5/1 on a second-round exit and I think that looks huge, with both Kevin Doets and the colourful Stowie Buntz shorter than that with me to claim a huge scalp.